Chapter Four of the Priestess of Ayenha.
Standard Disclaimer applies.
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Chapter Four- A Complication.
Love is all encompassing; it consumes all, destroys all, and forgives all.
Rider sat back, leaning against the nest of roots of the giant Banyan, while surveying the herd of deer gathered at the water pool, with the deep concentration of a priest in prayer. Picking out a stag that bent down to lap at the water, providing him with the perfect view of its exposed neck. Venison is on the menu tonight, he thought, satisfaction coloring his thought. He nocked the arrow with a practiced air that tensed the string with virtually no sound.
Suddenly, he paused as he felt an itch at the back of his mind. There was a subtle shift in the winds around him. It grew steadily stronger along with his sense of foreboding. As a Rider, he was taught to read both the winds of the physical world and that of the spiritual. The physicals winds could help him provide for his charge and the spiritual winds would help him protect her.
The air rippled with the force of the fluctuations. He knew whatever had caused this colossal reaction was headed towards her.
He lowered his bow and ran swiftly towards their camp, unmindful of the trampled underbrush, slippery leaves and loose rocks that cut into his foot despite the leather encasing them. The journey seemed to take forever. The rush of adrenaline pounding in his ears slowed down his perception of time as he felt each footfall against the pliant earth. The never ending stretch of green grated on his nerves as it seemed he just couldn't run fast enough to her.
The winds picked up, kicking up a fuss as they shrieked through the branches of the massive trees above. He rushed towards the clearing, his mind's-eye filled with visions of a blood-soaked woman feebly fending off monsters and failing miserably. If he failed, by the edict of his oath to the Goddess, he would have to die by his own blade and that was not an option for him. He still had something he needed to do. Something he needed to accomplish just yet.
So with his self made promise weighing heavily on his mind and his duty lying a few miles away, he ran towards her as fast as he could whilst cursing his lack of foresight in leaving the horse behind.
He skidded into the faint travel worn trail and raced through it. By now he was close enough to hear the rhythmic slap of water flowing against rock. He cleansed his mind of all thought. He burst into the clearing with his arrow nocked, his countenance that of a honed warrior to find-
Nothing.
No beasts. No bleeding and bloody priestess.
Just a tranquil meadow which was laced with green and feminine laughter.
And priestesses who remained oblivious to the noxious atmosphere.
The atmosphere which was covered by an oppressive cocoon of opposing ripples that made him nearly nauseous.
He whipped around and saw Sakura staring rather quizzically at him as she toweled her hair with the horse's blanket.
"Is something wrong?" she asked, loud enough for him to hear across the meadow.
"Did you sense any disturbances or see any monsters around here?" he queried curtly, still holding his alert posture.
"I did not" she replied still looking oddly at him.
A sprinkling of minute crinkles creased his brow as uncharitable thoughts about a certain priestess's abilities surfaced. From the corner of his eyes, he noticed a splash of color beside the breeches of the woman. A forehead covered by black and a pigtail hanging down catch his attention.
He stills, completely riveted by the sight.
"Who is that?" he asks with a quietness that disconcerts her to no end.
The girl who had previously hidden herself behind Sakura stepped into view. A child who looked no more than nine with near transparent skin and night black hair. Clasping the fabric nearest to hand, she bows with a practiced ease as escaping tendrils of hair cover her face she introduces herself "I am Igniara, Daughter of Isthill and Rocog Maievera." Her bow is not nearly obsequious as it should be. He was one of the Seven Guardians after all, and he was to be awarded the highest of honors.
She rises, according him a full view of her face. Curly black hair framing a heart shaped face with unremarkable brown-black eyes and a sharp nose and lips pressed into a concealing line. His heart, which had frozen when he saw her, began to race in an apoplectic frenzy. He bowed back, if it could be called that, an inclination of the head not nearly as low as hers but cuttingly curt.
"Igniara Maievera.. A cousin of Niai Maievera perhaps?" he asked with soft voiced malice.
The child flinched imperceptibly, but held her ground defiantly. Impassive eyes assessed him as she said "Yes, she was my Honorary Older Sister*."
Sakura noted the exchange with ever increasing confusion. Why should one child draw so much animosity from him?
"Igniara will join us" she said but faltered as she vacillated between making it a question or a statement.
"Absolutely not," the ice in his tone kissed its way up her spine, making her shiver involuntarily. Besides her, Igniara stiffened with mortification.
"I don't see why not," she returned indignant.
The child rose and bowed to thank her hostess for 'The truly wonderful evening'. Sakura waved it away with a command to 'Sit back down, child! You're not going anywhere'.
"She is a Maievera," he stated, as though the answer should be obvious.
"She's also a child." Sakura retorted hotly.
Rider fixed her with an incredulous look. Sakura did not budge a single inch, preferring to glare him into submission.
"They are one of the most curst clans in our land. Even looking upon one is taken as an omen for misfortune" he explained as though he were speaking to a willful child.
Igniara turned red at the proclamation and then turned white as her hands clenched at her sides. "That's an appalling thing to say to a child." Sakura spoke spoftly, somehow having channelized the child's fury. A fine coat of yellow began to shimmer on her skin lending her a luminescent quality. He took a step back at the sheer amount of power she was projecting. The opposing ripple was dominated completely by the power surge.
"She will remain with me." She spoke, the unmistakable ring of power coating her words galloped forward to batter at his.
What little expression showed on his face disappeared beneath the formality with which he replied "Your will, Priestess Sakura."
Sakura felt strangely hollow as she saw him turn and stalk away. Panicking slightly, she asked "Where are you going?"
He paused and turned to her. "I have not managed to find food for our evening meal yet. I must hunt once again." He replied.
Tamping down on the guilt that rose at having hurt his feelings after everything he had done for her, she tentatively asked "May I gather the firewood?" It was an admittedly weak attempt at reconciliation, a pathetically fragile olive branch, but he nodded anyway and promptly turned away.
Having attempted to salvage one mess, Sakura wearily turned to the still trembling child who stood by her side. She knelt before her, offering the child a placid smile.
"Shall we get back to the stream Niara?" she asked, offering her hand to the child.
She shook her head and thanked Sakura for the offer. She was still pale and slightly trembling but she managed to look composed despite it.
"All right then, would you mind terribly much if I asked you to look after Chiaki? The poor girl gets terrified when bereft of company." She spoke in soothing tones.
"Yes, Priestess. It will be my honor." She replied, her voice betraying nothing as she bowed.
Sakura frowned at the child "I will have none of that, Niara. I already asked you to call me Sakura."
"I was previously unaware of who you were my lady. Had I known, I never would have dared." She rejoined stubbornly
Fighting a sigh, Sakura cajoled "But you do know now and I would like it very much if you called me Sakura."
The subtler art of appealing always seemed to help her achieve her goals. Sakura reminisced with a slight pang as she recalled the many, many times Naruto had responded unwittingly and also perhaps by his own volition.
A rather unsure expression flickered through her eyes before she sighed in defeat and acquiesced.
Sakura smiled cheerfully at her before turning towards the forest. The sun had begun to set. She had to hurry and find a fire for her dinner or laze around and end up as one. And so with that cheerful thought to spur her on she went firewood foraging.
Rider fought the uncharacteristic urge to swear. The woman had no idea of the consequence of her action.
Impulsive, over emotional woman.
He knew not how the now retiring priestess would react to her charge taking.. that.. under her wing. Especially with the scandal of Niai Maievera. The courts whispered of a curse that befell them.
She had no idea of the kind of prejudice she would be facing alone. There had never been a priestess as young as her. The priestesses, were always chosen at birth and raised in the Imperium. If she were to take a Maievera, there was no telling how the courts would react.
Most likely with scorn.
Shaking off morose direction of his thoughts, he decided to go hunting for rabbit instead.
The deer at the waterhole had probably been scared off by the amount of ruckus he kicked up. They were very wary creatures. It would be surprising if they returned to the waterhole anytime soon.
He sighed gustily. It was none of his concern what occurred in the courts. He should merely be concerned with bringing her to her new home.
He set the trap for them with the speedy skill of a master of the hunt. The sun which had barely set when he returned to camp.
This time, peace prevailed. The priestess had set up the firewood and stoked the fire. The child remained frostily silent towards him and interacted with the girl on a painfully perfunctory note. Still, she acted warmer towards her than she was expected to. Rider felt a faint niggling of doubt creep into his mind and lodge itself firmly in his head.
She enjoyed the stew he managed to whip up with more gusto than she thought she could manage. Faint stirrings of guilt were tamped down by swift promises to herself that she would make it up to him. With a faint murmur of thanks she gathered up the utensils and went down to the stream to wash.
They bedded down for the night. The blanket stretched fully open was large enough to accommodate both Igniara and herself. Rider took his place across the fire from them, sword leaning against his shoulder.
Rider stretched his sore muscles in the privacy offered by shadows while they prepared for bed. He felt exhausted by the grueling pace he set. He would sooner be damned than admit it. Stifling yet another yawn, he crossed the fire, feeling like it was an invisible battle line. Despite the odd nagging sensation in the back of his mind, he turned his back on the two and sat vigil.
The yawns grew more frequent and less subtle. After a particularly jaw popping one, he decided to rest his eyes for a second; ignoring the odd feeling of serenity that surrounded him despite the presence of the Maievera. Soon he slumped and fell sideways, quite unconscious.
Igniara, who lay awake with her heart hammering like a hummingbird's wing, waited until she heard him slump. She eased the strain of magic around him. He would be out of it for quite some time. The Priestess would be dead by then. Perhaps she should kill him too? As a precaution.
She raised herself on one arm. She felt her boot for the small knife she had borrowed for this purpose. She turned to her… and felt a pang of regret. She had been nothing but nice to her. She brushed the thought aside almost brusquely, thinking 'if she didn't suspect anything it shows how unprepared she is to take charge of the Imperium.'
It was no place for fools. Or the compassionate.
She raised herself on her knees, sliding the rest of her clothing away to avoid the blood spatter.
For family ,.. for honor, ..for Father.
The knife gleamed in the star-lit night as she raised it, poised over Sakura's throat. She closed her eyes and offered a small prayer. She swung it down. Bracing herself, she waited and felt nothing. She was being impeded by a warm weight that settled on her wrist. She looked up into the sloe-eyed gaze of the man who loomed over her like a particularly vengeful ghost.
"So that was your game all along?" he acknowledged quietly, not intending to wake the Priestess.
Igniara burned with shame. She had failed. She couldn't give up just yet.
"How did you escape from the Ardeur*?" she asked instead, attempting to delay him so that she could find a way to escape, to think.
"It was nowhere near enough to fell a Guardian, girl!" he stated coldly.
Sakura stirred from her sleep. Rider felt the stirrings of fury that he hadn't in a long, long time. She would not appreciate what had happened. He was certain he would ensure she realized how much trouble she had caused him and also how much he did not appreciate it.
"Welcome to the world of the living, Priestess. I suppose now that you're awake perhaps you'll be willing to see the price of your compassion," he spoke, a bland statement that held none of the malice the words alone could have.
Her eyes snapped wide open. It was a testament to her composure that she did not scream. She merely rolled over and rose by elbow.
Gentle green eyes took in the scene before them. The tense coiling of Rider's muscles and the trembling in Niara's.
She turned to the girl and asked a single question, "Why?"
The child's lips flattened into a concealing line at the questioning tone of the woman. She could not allow herself to meet the concern in Sakura's eyes. Inside, she was bubbling with a curious broth of emotions. She felt a touch of regret, and a feeling that burned fever-bright within. Shame. Shame for what she had almost done. It was truly unfortunate that she had to meet this woman under these circumstances.
Rider could not believe his ears. Of all the questions to ask, she asked her why. What was wrong with the woman? Why was she remaining so concerned when any other woman in her stead would have had the girl dispatched to a long drop and a sudden stop at the gallows without second thoughts.
He turned towards her, the girl's hand still gripped within his. It had begun to bruise. Rider relaxed his grip slightly.
"There is little need to delve so deeply. The girl is to be taken to the Imperium and sentenced as per the law," he spoke in low, serious tones. He hoped she understood the depth of the danger she was about to face. There was absolutely nothing stopping the Imperials from getting what they wanted. They did not bow to the laws of morality or law. They were too drunk on their own power to think any differently.
Sakura understood what he said but she was unable to stop herself from attempting to do something.
Why would someone who she had never met before have cause to harm her. Why was he being so difficult. She was just a child, after all.
Perhaps it was the late hour or maybe it was because the fact of the assassination attempt really hadn't sunk in yet but Sakura was supremely unconcerned with the act but merely the motivations behind the action.
There was no question of sleep thereafter. Rider suggested it would be better to make haste in light of the recent events. Rider retrieved her weapons (there were several more) and bound her wrists. Sakura sat by, unable to know how to react. She decided on doing something with all her nervous energy and began to break camp. Their meager crockery was safely put away as Rider poured water to cool off the dying embers of their camp fire. Sakura spread the blanket back on Chiaki's back as Rider set the saddle.
Niara watched with the dulled gaze of a guilt-torn child. Sakura looked away, trying not to see what she just did.
Rider checked the strength of his knots and how tight they were before mounting the horse. With all preparations complete, they mounted the saddle with Niara between the two of them. They bid adieu to the fast-fading stream despite the touch of night between them all.
*An Honorary Older Sister is a title given to a woman who is adopted into another family in compensation for either a childless or dead wife of the heir in order to take her sister's place and educate the younger sibling of the heir.
Welcome to the first arc of PoA. Tenten is unfortunately in no mood to see me.. So we'll have to put this diva to rest before we can move on.
*the Ardeur is the ability of the original Maievera family members to manipulate the energy around individuals. Like inducing sleep, inducing pity or amplifying emotions.
Also I am still sketching the back ground of the story. Feel free to give me suggestions. I feel like I'm in the middle of journey with a vague idea of my destination and no idea of how I came there..
Finally, thank you for waiting so patiently. Do review, they keep me going. :)
Aurora.